Schoolteacher Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz, left) falls for the curmudgeonly physician Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes) in the popular pubTV series Doc Martin. In the upcoming season, the two navigate parenthood. (Photo: APT)
Acorn TV, the subscription-based British TV streaming service for U.S. viewers, begins offering new episodes of Doc Martin exclusively on Oct. 7 — months before their February 2014 premiere on public TV stations.
Episodes from the sixth season of the quirky ITV series starring Martin Clunes will be added each Monday through the season finale on Nov. 25.
For those fans of British TV who just can’t get enough of Doc Martin, all episodes of previous seasons will also be available for streaming.
“There are millions of British drama, comedy and mystery fans in the U.S.,” said Miguel Penella, c.e.o. of RLJ Entertainment, “so we’re thrilled to offer more exclusive content and shorter time frames between when programs air in their home country and the U.S.”
RLJ Entertainment owns the Acorn Media Group, a distribution company specializing in British television.
Acorn TV also begins offering two crime dramas Oct. 7: season three of Vera starring Brenda Blethyn, and Above Suspicion, based on the bestselling novels by Prime Suspect author Lynda La Plante.
Doc Martin is distributed for U.S. broadcast by American Public Television.